Nosferatu 1922

F. W. Murnau’s classic take on Dracula, the original “cult” classic saved by a print of the film that had already been sent worldwide after a court case had the company destroy all its prints.

It is the oldest film on our list and also the only silent film.

Where do you start with a film like this?

Seriously. One of the most iconic figures in cinematic history is Count Orlock. How do you even start to review it?

The reason I picked Nosferatu over any other film isn’t exactly because of its iconic status, it isn’t because its scary or because it has a great history.

No.

I picked it because of why I truly believe it has lasted the test of time.

The film doesn’t, in my opinion, set out to scare you. The way the film is shot is beautiful and even though scenes are, at best, eerie it isn’t truly scary. It all adds to the classic image of the film.

Max Schreck who portrayed Count Orlock could just move in a way that just screamed at you from the screen. The legendary scene where he stalks up the stairs to Ellen’s bedroom burns itself into the back of your mind. Even though he wasn’t actually Dracula, for copy write reasons, his movements and portrayal in general became THE definitive version.

In a time before psychological horror and movie tricks designed to make your jump out of your skin this movie doesn’t bother to try and get cheap scares but instead uses the beauty in the way it is filmed to plant the seeds in your mind and creeps you out without trying.

The beauty it manages to portray even now speaks volumes more then you would ever understand.

If there is one film that everyone should watch over the Halloween season it should be Nosferatu.